Speed-regulating mechanism.



' SPEED REGULATJNG MECHAISM.

APPLIOATION rum) 11.13.11. 1907.

E'ETEETED JUNE 25', 1907.

G. E. LEIGEE. SPEED EEGULATIG MEGEANISM.

APPLIUATION FILBJ MAB.. 11. 1907.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

PATENTE) JUNE 25,'1907.

. G. P. LIGBR. SPEED REGULATING MECHANISM.

' APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 11. 1907.

. SHEETS-SHEET a.

UNITED sTArEs GEORGE F. LEIGER, OF CHICAGO, .ILLINOIS sPE'ED-REGULATING'MECHANISNL PagrENT oEEIoE.

no. empece.

- drawings.

-My invention' relates to speed regulating mechanisrnior shafts and similarly rotating ymembers, and its object is to rovide a new and improved vmeans by whic the rotating speed 4of a driven member maybe regulated.-

More particularly, its object is to provide mechanism controlled byfluid pressure by means of which the speed of rotation of a rotating member, when once it attains a given speed of rotation, may be automatically maintained at and be prevented from exceeding that predetermined speed, regardless of temporary excesses of speed in the driving member or mechanism; to provide iuid pressure controlled mechanism by means of which the'mechanism maybe readily and ccnverently. regulated to adjust it for any predetermined speed, and by means of which the speed of the driven member may be varied at pleasure to any speed up to the speed of the driving member, and may be automatically maintained' at any such speed.

To that end .my invention consists broadly in a pulley or similar revoluble member which may be either a driying or a driven pulley, a shaft u on which said pulley is loosely monnte clutch members adapted to eii'ect an engagement between said pulley and said shaft, mechanism operated by fluid pressure by meanso which the clutch members may be caused to effect an engagement between said pulley and said shaft at any desired ressure, -centriugally operated members adhpted to throw such clutch members out of enlgagement against the action of said i'luid pressure when a predetermined speed of rotation is reached, and means by which the degrec of pressure ofsaid iiuid operated mechanism upon such clutch members may be* varied at will and adJusted to any predeter.

` function, operation or result.

mined speed while the machineis running.

My mechanism is adapted to the operation oi any mechanism or machine which is driven by a continuously running line shaft and whose speed it may be desired to automatically maintain at any desired point or to vary specification of Letters Patent. Applausi ned umh 11, 1907. 'serai 'Na 361,673.

-Patented June 25, 1907.

at will 'while the ,machine is running. It is Aalso peculiarly adaptedl to the operation of electrical generators driven by gas engines,` especiallysuch asgare used, for sparking, for instance, in automobiles-and `to other mechanisms adapted to be driven. by gas engines .whose speed often temporarily exceeds the speed at which the generator is desired oradapted to be run. 1t may of course,how ever, be used in any mechanism in which it is desired that the speed of thedriven shaft -shall be automatically prevented froxuex- EEIsSUEn ceeding a predetermined rate of revolution,

and in any "mechanism whose speed it is desired while 'the machine is running to vary and'to automatically maintain. as long as desired at any given point. A I

'In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation Vof the machine. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view, partially in horizontal crosssection. Fig. 3 1s a detail, being a vertical cross-section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. 'Fig'. 4 is a detail,

a cross-section on line 4 4 of F ig. 3. Flg.

5 is-a detail, beingasection on line5 5 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings,6 7 indicate ref spectively the base and standards of a frame in which the mechanism is mounted.

8 indicates a shaft which is journaled in bearings '9 10 carried in the standards 7 of the frame.

11 indicates a pulley Awhich is keyed or otherwise mounted upon one end of the shaft 8.

the shaft 8. The inner surface of the pu 12 is adapted to engage the clutch members hereinafter described. In the mechanism as l have shown it, the pulley 12 is driven by abelt (not shown) from any suitable line shaft or other source of power (not shown), and is therefore the driving member of the mechan- 12 indicates a pulley loosely mounteduon @Y ism, while the shaft 8 with its pulley l1 is the 1 driven member 'of the mechanism. This is the form in which l refer to construct it,but it will of course be obvious that the pulley 11 may be connected with theline shaft or other source 'of power and become 'the driving member, and thepulleyJ 12 the driven memr of the mcchanismwithout any change in 13 indicates a worm gear which is rigidly mounted upon the hub 14 of the pulley l2 so as to rotate therewith.

15 indicates a gear which is keyed or otherwise secured to one end of a shaft 16 which is ICO IIO

journalf'd in asuitiiblc support 17 and sleeve 18 mounted upon thi'.` stiinrlrird 7. 'lhe oilici' und of the shaft 16 carries n cra-uli plaie i9 provided with n Wrist-pin 20.

21 indicates a force pump of' any approved form of constructie-i which is mounted upon thejbiise 6 and. whose piston 22 is conncrhd by moans of n. link 23 with the wrist-piu 2U.

"llhe'safety valve 2S is of'ziny ordinariY and y means of n. thumb-screw 29 to automaticfilI i'v well-known type which may-be .adjusted by blow off when any desired pressure indicated by the gage is passed, and which may be blown'oi' or discharged manually. by means oi a lever 30.4 As this valve may be of any well-known type and is not itself'the subject of my invent-ion, it is believed'that it is not necessary to further describe it'herel i The end of the shaft'S opposite to 'the pulle;- 1l and near the pi i 27 Vis centrally bored wit-lian opening 31 W lich extends a suitable rubber.

distance into the shaft and' -then turns at right angles, opening upon the periphery of tlic'shiift 8 asis bestshownin Fig. 3.

32ndiciites 'a pi e which opens from the pipe 27nto a suita le 'stufiing-b ox 33 which is screwed 4into or otherwise mounted upon the end ofthe shaft 8. The. stutiinghox 33 ofcourse rotates fwith the shaft 8 around-the pipe 32. Tlie'=openi1ig in the pipe 32 regis .ters with the opening 31 in the shaft 8.

-34 indicates a diaphragmfcasing which is `keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft 8 so -as to rotate therewith. The diaphragmcasing 34 consists of two members 35 and 86 which are securedtogetlier by incans'ofsereufs 37 so as to clamp tightly between. them a llex1 bleda hragni 38 preferably composed of helting material, although it may be constructed 'of ausT other suitable flexible mate-rial. The 4two members 35 36 of the diaphragm-casing 34 are so formed as to contain within them when together an annularchamber 39. The flexible diaphragm 38 is clamped between the two mein ,rs 36 so as to be Huid tight. A.

40 indicates s bent tube one end opens through the member 35 into the 'chamber, 39: of the diaphragm-easing, and the other end of which o ons into .the shaft 8 ini register with the Hui passage 31 therein.

41 indicates an annular late itting loosely within the annular cham er 39 in the diahragm-casing 34 so as to move freely Vthere- 11n-aud adapted to be moved by themoveof which ment of the diaphragm IES, :is liereiinifi'i-"r dosrrihod.

42 indican-s pins which uri' sci'urcd to thil p annular phiti'- 4l und project outward l through the member .'i ol' the diiiphrziginraisiupr 34 find Ewa-r u aiustzi pluie llli whirh is hwithvifd up -n thrslinfi H,

liohlrrinpl 1.o Fil. 2 whore these :ire host i shown, 41. indicates levers which are )ivoi- 5 pill)Y inounird upon supports` 45 forme( integral niih or secured. tu the din[')lii'aiuin-cnsing 'L "i l Y s l.'

o4. [he .nii-is 44 :ne provided ith arms 5 4b' u'huli project inward ion'nrd die shaft S if and :iro :idiiptcil to he engaged b i the plate 43 iis hereinafter dosciibeiil. 47 indicates lchitclr-ineuibcrs which :ire mounted upon the levers 44 sind are adapted to engage the interior surface of the pulley l2. Theseclutclifineinbers,4 as' is 'livstslioivn in Fig. 4,

un are of a. circle .concentric with the inner the pulley ,l2 they n'iay opera-tens Vclutches to engagethe saine; 448 induia'ies weights which are mounted ii'poii-tlie outer ends' of shaft 8 isrotatechto tend by 'centrifugal force to move outward and to dirmi-' the clutch-members 47 inward away froiu engagement With the pulley A12 and against. the pressure of the plate 43 anddiaipl'u'agm 38 pu'lle)T by centrifugal force when a predeL tcrrnined speed of rot-ation -is exceeded.

The operation of Vthe above-described mechanism. is asfolloii'szA-The pulley 12-being continuously driven from a line shaft or continually o eratcd tofsupply suitable sur pressure to t ie air mechanism. It .will

Worm geur its mechanism will be suitably slow not to provide 'too rapideccuuinlation of pressure. The speed at which. the niaehine is desired to run 'being detern iined,' the Isafety valve 2S is adjusted b f nieans ofthe Ethunib-screw 29 to .blow o W en the 'desired pressure indicated by 'the pressure gage 25 is exceeded. This pressure,v of course, will be dependent, among: other things, upon the upon the levers. 4We will assume for the sake .of illustration that s. pressure of five oiinds to, the square inch, as indicated 'in ig. 2, willY cause-the cent-rifa ral force'of the means 'of ,the slow moving pump 21 and the valve 28,' this pressure .isV constantly mairrtainedl The 4pressure is communicated through the pipes 21, 26, 27 and 32,- and chamber 39 upon 'the left-hand side of the:

have their engaging surfaces in the loi'ui of surface-of the pulley iii order that when, they Aare forced against the inner surface of-` when operated as hereinafter described,`and- 'to disengage the. clutcheineiubers from the other source of power, the air-pump Z1 Will Weightof the weights 48 and their position' through theopem'ng' 31 andpipeV 40 into the' the levers44'and are adapted, when the' be noted that as the pump is operated by the Weights'lli to 'disengage 1211 .C litch-meinbers 4 I when the desired speed' is exceeded. By-

phra'gm 38 is therebyforced against the annular; plate 41, pushing the pins 42 outward and thereby .sliding-tire plate 13 aiong the. shaft 8 toward the arms 4 6 ofj the levers 44,

' whiclnbeing .forced inward by the operation Vefth'e diaphragm and plate,.force the clutch- 4 speediseXceeded, however,it ecentrifuga'lniembarse7,v intoZ engagement with the inner -surfa'ceof the ulley 12.-- vThe shaft-8, with ,its dri-ving pul ey.11', is therebyset in rotation. A s soon as the desired redetermined action of theweights 18 will force the arms 46 outward,..thereby forcing the plate 43 backward toward thediapliram-casing. and

forcing the diaphragm 38 bac ward against The tained .at the predetermined speed. When "it is, desired to stop the machine, the pressure .is blown .off :by means of the lever 30, and the Pdriven shaft 8'will come to rest.

' pressure upon the diaphragm a greater speed 1 es of the shaft may beobtained-before thev It will, of course, be obvious .that by .increasing the centrifugal action of the weights 48 will eHect a,dis en a ement. between the clutch-meinbeis an `t ie pulley 12, and this pressure may be varied and adjusted to any predetermined degree, a's has been said above, by means of the safety or-bloW-o" valve.

1t will be obvious from the above description that'4 the speed of the machine may be varied to run faster 0r slower Without stop-Y ping the machine, andl ma be maintained at such varied speed at w'il by the adjustment of the air-pressure by means of the blow-off valve 28.. If it is desired to increase the speed, the pressure at which the valve will blow off may be increased by operating the thumb-screw 29, and if it is desired to decrease the s eed of the mechanism the pressure at Whic may be decreased in the same manner and all this may be done readily without stopping the machine.

l have shown and described my apparatus as o erated by air pressure, and this is the mee anism which l )refer to use. It will be obvious, however, t at it may be'operated by any suitable [luid other than air, and I do not confine myself to the use of. air'as-a pressure lluid. I have also described the pulley 12 as being driven from the line shaft.,--said pulley being, therefore, the drivingr member of the mechanism,-and the shaft 8 and pulley 11 as being driven thereby, but, as'has been said, it will'be obvious that without departing from my invention oi' from its function or o )eration-the pulley 11 and shaft 8 may be iiven from the line shaft, making the pulley 12 the driven member whose speed it is desired to vary,--in wliicluease the pump would, of course, be driven by the shaft 8 instead of by the pulley 12.

thel valve will blow off What I elaimlfas my invention and desire -to secure by Letters Patent is puiey on said shaft, and a clutch-member lada ted to effect an engagement between sai shaft and said pulley, of fluid o erated mechanism adapte to normally e ect an enga ement at a given pressure between such 4cinte member and said pulley, and cen- .trifugally operated' mechanism adapted to effect a disengagement betweensaid clutchmember andsaid pulley when a given speed of rotation is reached. i

2. The combination with a shaft, a loose pulley on said shaft, and a clutch-member .adapted to effect an engagement between said shaft and said pulley, of fluid operated mechanism adapted to normally effect an engagement at a given pressure between such clutch-member and said pulley, means '1. The combinationwith a shaft, a loose A for applying a predetermined pressure upon said uid, and centrifugally operated mechanism tending to effect a i se'nga ement against said pressure between said pul ey and said clutch-member.

3. The combination with a shaft, a pulley loosely mounted on said shaft, clutch-members carried .by said shaft and adapted to engage said ulley and centriugally oper-V ated mechanism adapted to. disengage said clutch-members from said Lpulley, of fluid o erated mechanism adapte to engage said c utch-inembers and force them into engagement with said pulley with a predetermined pressure.

4. The combination with a shaft,'a pulley loosely mounted on said shaft, clutch-members carried by said shaft and adapted to engage said pulley, and centrifugally operated mechanism adapted to disengage said clutch-members from said ulley, of fluid o erated mechanism adapted) to engage said c itch-members and force them into engagement with said pulley with a predetermined pressure, and means for varying the pressure iio of.said fluid-operated mechanism upon said clutch-members.

5. The combination with a shaft, a pulley loosely mounted on said shaft, clutch-meinbers carried by Said shaft and adapted to engage said pulley, and centrifugally operated mechanism adapted to disengage said clutch-members from said pulley, of e, dia- )hraf'm-casing secured to said shaft, a Ilexible diaphragm carried by said diaphragmcasing, mechanismadapted to apply a luid pressure. upon said diaphragm, and mechanism intermediate said diaphragm and said clutch-members 'and adapted 'by the l'luid pressure upon said diaphragm to ell'ect an engagement between said elUtell-members and said pulley.

6. The combination with a shaft, apulley loosely mounted on seid shaft, clutch-ineinbers 'carried by said shaft and adapted to engage seid pulley, and eentrifugally 0per- :dell mechanism adapted to disengege said r'luteh-members from said pulley, of a diapl,u'agmeasiug secured to said shaft, a flexible diaphragn'i carried by said diaphragmrnsing', mechanism adapted to apply a fluid pressure upon seid diaphragm, mechanism intermediate said diaphragm and said elutehmembers and adapted by the [luid pressure upon said diaphragm to effect an eugegement between si id eluteh-merribers and said pulley, and nl pressure upon said diaphragm.

'v The combination with a sl loose-l)- mount-vd on said shaft, bers esrried by said shaft and adapted to engage said pulley, und oentril'ugally ated mechanism adapted' to disengage said elutel11ne1nbers from said pulley, of a dia- )hragm-easug secured tu said shaft, a flexillle diaphragm carried by said diaphragmealsing, a pressure pump, means for opereting said' pump, eomiections between said pump and said diaphragm-easing und adepted to contain a uid,m`eans whereby the pressure of said ilud upon said diaphragm may be varied, and mechanism intermediate seid diaphragm and mit. a pullex` eluteli -nlem- 'cans for wiri'ing4 the fluid' said clutch-members wherel operl l l i l l i l i by the pressure upon seid diephringm will elleet an engagement between members en said said levers adapted and weights on the other by centrifugal said clutch-members to engage ends force from said seid elutel1-l a. shaft, a, pulley ft, levers carried ers on one end of said pulley, of saidV levers to disengage pulley, of e diaphragubcasing secured to said Shaft, fi,

flexible diaphragm in said die means for applying diaphravm, a plate ssii' shat ed to engage said tween said plate and said ada sai said ted when fluid diaphragm,

a 'fluid sliding y and rotatable therewi levers,

connections diaphragm and phragm-easi ressure to said mounted ,on th and ada tpressureV is applied to diaphragm to move seid levers .and effect an en tween said clutch-members a means for .applying fluid p andA means Wh pressure may be varied.

Witnesses:

HENRY P. G WILLIAM H.

GEORGE LEIGER.

ALE,

plate against gegement bend said. pulley, ressure'to said 5c erebyr said Huid DE B-Usii'. 

